


Fourth Day of Christmas

by mightbeababygay



Series: 12 Days of Ballum-mas [4]
Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Anal Sex, Canon Divergence, Christmas Shopping, Established Relationship, Fluff and Smut, M/M, Smut, christmas markets
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-07
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:16:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21707554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mightbeababygay/pseuds/mightbeababygay
Summary: Ben decides to take Callum Christmas shopping for Lexi's presents. Except, it seems everyone else had the same idea - that today was a good day for shopping. Throw in flirtatious store workers, an excessive amount of presents and an inability to wrap them, well...they could both do with the distraction.
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Series: 12 Days of Ballum-mas [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1559044
Comments: 4
Kudos: 113





	Fourth Day of Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Hi hi thank you so much for all the comments on the previous parts of this series - I'm glad you're liking them!
> 
> Not beta'd - all mistakes are my own. 
> 
> Twitter/Tumblr - mightbeababygay - let me know what you think!
> 
> Enjoy!!

“So I was thinking we could do some shopping today?” Ben asked, hands curled around the warm mug of coffee his mum has just placed down on the cafe table. “I need to get Lexi something good before it all sells out. Probably dinosaur related, thanks to you. You couldn't have gotten her into something that I can actually buy?”

“It ain't my fault that dinosaurs are more superior.” Callum grinned, ankle hooking around Ben's under the table. 

“Can't be that superior if they're extinct.” Ben smirked over the rim of his mug at Callum, winding him up as he slurped loudly.

“That wasn’t their fault! If climate change hadn’t happened…”

Ben tuned Callum out as he continued to talk about climate change and evolution, a wide grin on his face as he watched his boyfriend gesture, hands waving in the air. It wasn’t that he was being rude (or disrespectful) to Callum, it was just - he’d heard this argument on at least three other occasions. Dinosaurs were very much a Callum-and-Lexi thing that Ben wanted no part of. He just didn’t get the obsession (not that he didn’t mind watching Jurassic World - but more from Chris Pratt related reasons, rather than the dinosaurs). 

That didn’t mean he didn’t find Callum (and Lexi) cute when he started rambling on about nerdy things, like dinosaurs. 

“You ain’t listening, are you?” Callum huffed, nudging Ben’s ankle with his foot. 

“Nope.” Ben shrugged his shoulders as he downed the last mouthful of coffee from his mug. “Come on then, I'll get you lunch if you're lucky.” He stood, grabbing his red and black, chequered jacket from the back of the chair. 

\--

“I fucking hate Christmas.” Ben grumbled as another person bumped into him in the hustle and bustle of shoppers. “Maybe we should go home, do it online?” 

Wrapping an arm over Ben's shoulder, he pulled the shorter man closer to him. “Where's the fun in that?” He led Ben away from the shopping centre entrance to a quieter area where he wouldn’t keep getting bashed. 

“Uhh, we can occupy ourselves with something better, make use of an empty house.” Ben spoke as if it was obvious. 

“That's not very Christmassy.” Callum teased as Ben's hand came up to hold the one of Callum's that was over his shoulder. It was ironic really, that Ben would moan and complain about couples who'd wander around joined at the hip. And yet, he was probably one of the worst for doing it. 

“I'll put a sexy elf costume on for you, how's that?”

“Tempting.” Callum grinned. “But what would your family say when they've got nothing to open from you, from us?” 

“Who cares?” Ben shrugged, grumbling under his breath as yet another person knocked into him as they walked. “If we get out of this place without me being arrested for public assault, that's gonna be your Christmas present.” 

“This was your idea!”

“I weren't expecting this many people, Callum. Christmas has barely started.” Ben continued to complain. He knew, logically, that there would be a lot of people milling about, especially with it being nearly Christmas (and a Saturday) but he was hoping it wouldn’t be this packed full of idiots. 

“It won't be that bad in the shops.” Callum lied, pulling Ben close to drop a kiss to the top of his head. “Just imagine how much worse it would be if you'd left it any later. And please don't punch anyone.” He added on, directing Ben into the kids superstore. 

“If they stay out of my way, I won't have to punch anyone.” Ben huffed. He (reluctantly) detached himself from Callum to grab a basket from the stack to the left of the entrance. “Right then, what do you buy a seven year old?”

Taking Ben’s hand, Callum gave a light shrug. “Are we getting her one each? One from both of us?”

“Like either of us are going to just give her one present.” Ben snorted. “She’s got the pair of us wrapped around her little finger.”

Callum squeezed Ben’s hand in agreement, his face lighting up as he spotted something. “Unicorn poo!” He exclaimed loudly, handing them over to Ben. 

“What?” He asked in confusion, taking the package from Callum. “Can you imagine the mess?” Ben raised his eyebrows as he looked at the unicorn coloured bath bombs. “There’s gonna be glitter everywhere.”

“I’ll clean it up, I don’t mind.” He placed the bag of small bath bombs into the basket with a shrug. 

“Do you want a bag too?” Ben teased, smirk playing out across his face as he noted how serious Callum was over getting the ‘Unicorn Poo’. 

“Shut up.” Callum huffed, a blush dusting his cheeks. “We both know you’d end up stealing them anyway, if my shampoo is anything to go by.”

“If you don’t want people using it, don’t leave it lying around. That’s all I’m saying.” Ben gave an innocent shrug.

“Leave it lying around?” Callum spluttered. “It was in my wash bag. In the bedroom!”

“Exactly, you’re just asking for me to use it.” Grinned Ben, taunting the taller man. 

“Sometimes, I wonder why I’m with you.”

“Clearly it’s the sex.” Ben shrugged.

“Ben!” Callum turned a dark shade of red, looking around at the shoppers, some staring at Ben in disapproval. “You can’t just mention things like that in a kid’s store.”

“Oh, please.” Ben rolled his eyes. “They’re in here shopping for kids, it ain’t like they don’t know what sex is.”

“Doesn’t mean they wanna hear you bragging.”

“They’re just jealous.” Ben spoke indifferently, picking up a make-up set specifically designed for ‘princesses and their tea parties’. 

“...Of you or me?” Callum couldn’t help but ask, small grin playing out across his lips.

Placing the set in the basket, Ben couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. “Definitely me.” He sucked in his bottom lip as his eyes dragged appreciatively over Callum’s body. “Who wouldn’t wanna be fucked by you?”

“Oh my god, stop.” Callum blushed darker, giving Ben a playful shove to get him to keep walking, avoiding the eyes of the fellow shoppers.

It wasn’t long before they were armed with a basket full of stuff, so much so that Callum had to dash back to the entrance to grab another basket to fit everything in. They’d gotten a tonne of stuff - from bath bombs to wipe-away art screens and dinosaur eggs. Callum had even gotten himself one. 

Although Ben had made it clear that the egg had to be a Brontosaurus dinosaur - adamant that he wasn’t having a dinosaur with the potential to eat his baby girl in her bedroom (even if it wasn’t real). It made Callum suspicious that he too, liked dinosaurs a lot more than he was letting on - not that Ben would ever admit to it. 

He’d be worried just how long Lexi would spend opening all of these on Christmas day but he didn’t mind. He’d buy the entire store twice over just for her. 

“Alright?” Callum raised his eyebrows, wrapping an arm around Ben’s waist as he stared across at the man he was chatting to. Callum having just left briefly to grab a third basket. “Who’s this, then?”

“This is David. He’s just helping me out.” Ben smirked at the tightening of Callum’s grip on him. It was clear the older man was jealous, especially with the way David was leaning himself up against the counter, intent clear. It wasn’t often Callum got jealous - he was definitely the rational one out of the pair of them - but when he did, Ben secretly loved it. Even if Callum did hate that side of himself. 

“Doesn’t look like he’s doing much.” Callum looked the man over once, noting he was in the company’s uniform with an eye roll. Of course he’d use his job to find someone for the night. 

“I was actually just finding out what Ben’s up to tonight.” He spoke up casually, running his hand through his chestnut hair, confirming Callum’s thoughts. 

“Oh,” Callum nodded his head, feigning interest. “And? What are you up to tonight, babe?”

Grinning widely, Ben shrugged his shoulders. “Well, after this conversation I'll probably end up getting a...mouthful from this one.” He patted Callum on the chest, glint in his eye, loving every second of this. 

Usually at this point Callum would give him a look or mutter a few choice words under his breath for talking about their sex life (kinda) - especially to strangers, he already had done this afternoon. But instead he just gave David a stare, daring him to say anything more.

“Right, well I'll just…” David gave a sheepish smile, pointing over his shoulder. 

“Pretty sure I saw a little kid throwing up in aisle six. Best go get your mop, ay?” Callum patted him on the arm in a condescending manner as he dragged Ben away to the till. 

“Before you start,” Ben gave Callum a mischievous smile as they stood in the queue. “I was genuinely asking for help.”

“Of course you were.” 

“I was. I needed him to get something down for me.” Ben placed the baskets on the floor, wrapping his aching arms around Callum. 

“And I'm sure Dave was happy to help.” Callum rolled his eyes. 

“He was. I mean, have you seen me?” Ben's grin only widened as he leaned up on his tiptoes to press a kiss to Callum's cheek. “I hope you're gonna channel all this...frustration into something else, later.” He murmured against his warm cheek, flushed from the heat blowing out into the superstore. 

“Yeah, wrapping presents.” Callum teased in response, turning his head to steal a light kiss from Ben's lips. 

“I'm sure you can find something better to do than that.” Dropping back onto the balls of his feet, Ben raised his eyebrows. “Or maybe even someone.”

“You're right. I'll see if David's available later.”

“Oi!” Ben couldn't help but laugh, whacking Callum on the arm with the back of his hand. 

Callum smiled fondly, pulling Ben closer to press their lips together. “What do you want for Christmas?” Upon seeing Ben's grin widen, Callum shook his head quickly pressing his fingers to Ben's lips. “Nope. No dick jokes. Serious answers.”

“Who said I was joking?” Ben huffed once Callum had removed his hand. “ You can put a nice little bow on it and everything.”

“God, you're an idiot.” Callum snorted. 

“Yeah, but you love me. So who's the real idiot?” 

“Still you.”

\--

“Did you bring me here so you didn't have to pay for lunch?” Callum asked as they both took a piece of panettone from the sample board. They'd finished their Christmas shopping for Lexi just over an hour ago and Ben had decided to drag Callum to a nearby Christmas market which Callum instantly fell in love with. 

It was a small market, nothing too big or fancy, the low sunlight allowing the lights to twinkle and shine. There were a few people milling around, nothing anywhere near the amount that had been in the shopping centre and a distinct smell of...Christmas in the air. 

He couldn't describe the exact smell. It was the mixture of spices coming from the food stools, the burning wood from the crackling fire and the frost in the air that made his nose run. 

“This is so good.” Callum complimented the old lady who stood on the other side of the stool. “Can I ask what the secret ingredient is? Mine never tasted this good.”

“Lemon.” The woman confessed, Italian accent faded but still noticeable. “Usually I don't share my secrets but you seem like a lovely young man. Add lemon and twice the amount of rum.”

Ben couldn't help but watch the conversation with fond eyes. Callum definitely had a way with people that Ben could only imagine having. 

“Extra rum always sounds good to me.” He piped up, handing the woman a twenty pound note. “Keep the change. For the secrets.” Ben winked, taking the white cardboard box from her with a smile. 

“Have a good Christmas.” Callum told her softly. He wanted to stay and chat to learn even more from the wise baker. But there was a queue forming behind them and he didn't want her to lose any customers because of his nosiness. 

“You too, dear. Look after one another, won't you?”

“We will.” Callum promised with a nod of the head, hand resting on the small of Ben's back as he led him away from the stool. 

“Is there anyone that doesn't love you?” Ben teased as they continued their way around the Christmas market. 

“I was just being nice.” Callum smiled sheepishly, blush on his cheeks. 

“I know.” Ben laughed. “Everyone loves you, I'm gonna need to start fighting people off soon, ain't I?” 

“Least you'd know how I feel.” Callum stopped at a decoration stool. “These are so good.” He commented to the man, picking up a small snow globe which had two small figurines ice skating. 

“Do you really have to get the ice skating one?” Ben whined, still frustrated at their ruined date the other day.

“I told you, I want to remember that date.” He grinned in response, handing the money over to the stool owner with a mutter of thanks. “We can collect them. One for each Christmas together.”

Ben smiled, dimples full on display. “You’re either not planning to stay with me for long or you’ve got a secret mansion to store them all in.”

“Come on, it’ll be cute! We can reminisce over them when we’re old and wrinkly.” Callum teased, clutching onto the snow globe. “And even if we don’t, then we’ve got this one to remember our first Christmas.”

“You’re a right sap, ain’t ya?”

“Shut up.” Callum huffed, nudging Ben playfully.

In the end, they ended up spending hours at the market - having walked around at least twice. They’d got more things that they probably didn’t need but Callum couldn’t resist. From the snow globe to more baubles (even if the tree was full of them, already) to six rolls of eco-friendly recycled wrapping paper (also Callum’s idea). And yes, there was even a dinosaur roll for Lexi’s presents. 

\--

“You’re wrapping them now?” Callum asked as he stepped down the last step, having just gotten out of the shower. He strolled into the living room, eyebrows raising as he saw the first two Ben had - attempted - to wrap. “These are horrendous!” He couldn’t help but laugh at the terrible bunched up wrapping paper with way too much sellotape. 

“Have you seen how much we brought? I’m just trying to get through it.” Ben huffed, dropping the scissors down. He’d set up his wrapping station on the floor, pile of presents to his left and an excessive amount of wrapping paper cut ready for the next present. “If we leave them unwrapped, she’s gonna end up sniffing them out and seeing everything.”

“She really is your daughter.” Callum teased, running his hand through his hair, floppy from the gel having been washed out. “Budge up.” He told Ben before taking a seat on the floor next to him. 

“I hate Christmas.” Ben grumbled, head dropping onto Callum’s shoulder. “You smell nice.” He turned his head, pressing his nose against Callum’s neck to breathe in his scent. 

Callum shivered at the cold temperature of Ben’s nose against his skin, warmed from the shower. “‘S your shower gel.” He told him, hand resting on top of Ben’s that was on his knee. 

“Smells better on you.” Ben smiled, tangling their hands together. 

“Thought you hated people stealing your stuff?”

“I do. I’ll let you off this once.” Pulling his head out of Callum’s neck, Ben turned Callum’s with a hand on his cheek to connect their lips together. He clambered into Callum’s lips gracefully, tongues massaging against one anothers with a soft moan. Ben rocked his hips down, grinding against Callum to let him know what he wanted. 

“Here?” Callum asked, breath already taken away from the kiss alone. 

“Where else?” Was Ben’s cheeky response, connecting their lips once more before Callum could mention the fact that their bedroom was only up the stairs. 

They made quick work of pulling one another out of their clothes, throwing them across the living room without a care in the world, the only thing on their minds was reconnecting their lips as their hips moved against one anothers, hard lengths rocking together. 

“We need lube.” Callum gasped, breaking the kiss.

“I’ve got some. One second.” Grinning cheekily, Ben reached for the shopping bag, pulling out the brand new bottle of lube. 

“When did you get this?” Callum asked, tongue swiping out to wet his swollen lip. 

Ben smirked, proud of himself as he pressed the bottle of Cranberry scented lube into Callum’s hand. “When you went to the loo, I was gonna drag you into shop with me but I thought this would be a better surprise.”

Raising his eyebrows, Callum undid the cellophane wrapper. “Maybe I’d have liked to have a shop around. See what there was.” He teased Ben as he snapped the lid open, bringing it to his nose to sniff. “Oh god, it smells like strawberry jam.”

Snorting, Ben grabbed at the bottle to smell it himself. “That’s awful. I’m gonna smell like air freshener for days.” He laughed, leaning forward to reconnect their lips. He couldn’t help the giggle that fell from his lips as Callum undid the lube, pouring it over his fingers.

His laughter was soon cut off and replaced by a moan as Callum parted his cheeks, pressing a long digit inside of him. 

Callum smiled as he pressed a kiss to his lips before trailing along his jaw and down his neck, nipping at the skin as he thrusted his finger into Ben, a second one added to scissor him open. 

“Ain’t hanging around, are ya?” Ben moaned, pulling at Callum’s hair as he sucked on his neck.

“Can take my time, if you want?” Callum grinned, blowing cold air over the wet skin so it stung. “Open you up for hours?”

“N-No,” Ben grunted as Callum stretched and scissored him open, quickly adding a third. “No, this is g-good.”

“Condom.” Callum reminded him with a murmur against Ben’s lips, already shifting the younger man off of his lap to go upstairs. 

“Wait,” Ben stopped him, reaching for his discarded jeans to grab his wallet from the back pocket, Callum’s fingers slipping out off him as took out the condom. “Don’t look at me like that, you never know.” He shuddered, clenching around the empty air.

“You’re disgusting.”

“And yet, you’re about to fuck me anyway.” Ben told him with a smirk, leaning back in to connect their lips whilst Callum got back to work, rolling the condom down his length, followed by the drizzle of lube.

Knocking Callum's hand away, Ben took his length in his hand, smearing the lube. “Pass us your shirt.” 

“What?” Callum asked, reaching for his shirt that was flung over the shoulder. “Why?”

“‘Cos I need to wipe my hand.” Ben told him as if it was obvious.

“No, use your own shirt.” Callum huffed, grumbling as Ben snatched the shirt from him anyway, wiping his hands down. “God, I hate you.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Ben grinned, throwing the shirt behind him before cupping Callum’s cheeks to bring him in for a kiss. Grasping at the base of his boyfriend’s cock, he lined it up against his hole before sinking down slowly. 

He shuddered as he was stretched open on Callum’s cock, hands gripping at his shoulders. “Fuck…” He whispered, foreheads pressed together as he took all of Callum inside of him. 

Callum curled his hands around Ben’s body, holding him close with his palms spread across his back. “God,” He muttered in agreement, capturing Ben’s lips with his own. “You feel so good, so hot.”

Small noise of agreement coming from the back of his throat, Ben seated himself down fully on Callum’s cock, unable to stop himself from clenching down around him with a moan. 

“F-Fuck,” Callum squeezed Ben’s hips. “Don’t do that unless you want it over already.”

Using Callum’s shoulders as leverage, he dragged himself up the length of Callum’s large cock before sinking back down, breath knocked out of him with a cry. 

“S-So good, babe.” Callum praised, hands in a vice-like grip on his hips. “So good at this.”

Moaning in agreement, Ben continued to ride Callum, slow and excruciating as their lips met in a kiss, tongues tangled together. 

Callum guided Ben with his hands on his hips, nails digging into the skin as he grunted in pleasure. He pulled back from the kiss, unable to stop himself from watching Ben. He was so beautiful like this, riding Callum’s length, face screwed up in pleasure and Callum couldn’t get enough of it. Enough of watching him. 

And Ben knew that, had discovered it pretty quickly. So now, he liked to show off. From his moans to arching his body beautifully into Callum. Anything to drive Callum that little more crazy.

“Ben-,” Callum moaned, hips nudging forward to meet Ben’s downward movements.

“Yeah, yeah, fuck.” Ben whined, head tipping back as his hands gripped at Callum’s shoulders, a cry falling from his lips as Callum nudged against his bundle of nerves. “P-Please, like that. Fuck.”

“I’ve got you.” Callum murmured against the skin of his neck, teeth biting down on his delicate skin to match the previous mark he’d made earlier. 

“Cal.” Ben keened, hand tangling up into his hair, soft from the lack of gel. 

Shifting, Callum lifted Ben off of his lap, laying him down on the floor, not caring for the wrapping paper he was ruining. 

“Scissors.” Ben gasped as his back hit the floor, wrapping paper crinkling under his movements. 

“Wha’?” Callum panted breathlessly, pressing his length back inside Ben with a moan. 

“Fuck,” Ben moaned, clenching around Callum as he re-entered him. “N-Need to move the scissors before they slice me open.”

Callum choked out a soft laugh, grabbing the scissors from underneath Ben and chucked them onto the sofa out of the way. “Better?”

Ben grinned, nodding his head slightly as he pulled Callum down to reconnect their lips, legs hooking over his hips. 

Tongue swiping over Ben’s bottom lip, Callum moaned into his mouth. He rolled his hips forward slowly, fucking into him lazily. 

“Cal.” Ben moaned breathlessly, heat burning in the pit of his stomach, overwhelming him. It wasn't often they could take their time like this. They both lead pretty busy lives, rushing around and only catching fleeting moments with one another. So when it came to this, in the middle of the night, it was urgent, primal. 

It wasn't like they didn't like it that way - they both loved it. But this, Callum taking Ben apart with slow thrusts and gentle touches, only to put him back together afterwards, was something he'd never get over. 

Of course, it was scary the first time. The intimacy and overwhelming realisation of just how much Ben loved Callum. How much he was loved back. It confirmed to him what he already knew - that he was Callum's. He'd given in to what he'd promised himself he never would, and he'd gave himself over to Callum, ready and waiting to be torn apart if that's what Callum chose to do. 

It'd taken time to unlearn that culture of being alone was best, that love was weakness, to realise that maybe Callum wouldn't destroy him. That he'd looked after him, love him unconditionally. 

“I love you.” Callum whispered the conformation, almost as if he knew what Ben was thinking - which, if being honest, he did most of the time. He pressed their sweaty foreheads together, lips brushing with the movements of Callum's thrusts. 

“P-Please,” Ben whined, hands dragging up the span of his boyfriend’s back, eyes shining with unshed tears. “L-Love you.” He gasped, breath knocked out of him with every stroke of Callum’s thrusts. 

“Yeah,” Moaning in response, Callum pulled Ben’s thigh higher up his body, allowing him to press deeper inside of him. “Feels so good, baby.”

Shiver running through his body at the praise, Ben clutched at Callum, one hand tangled in his hair while the other grabbed at his back. “Cal, Callum-,”

“M-Me too,” Callum panted, wrapping paper crinkling underneath them as he thrusted into Ben faster, grunts tumbling from his lips. 

“Oh, oh fuck.” Breathless and shaking, Ben arched his back under Callum. His body tensed, cock twitching as he came, orgasm tearing through his body. 

Moaning, Callum’s head dropped down into Ben’s neck, eyes screwed shut in pleasure. He gripped at Ben’s hips, thrusts sloppy, grunting as the younger man clenched down around him, tipping him over the edge with a cry.

Gasping as he recovered from his own intense orgasm, Ben brushed his hands through Callum’s sweaty hair, head tipped back against the floor. “Fuck,” He muttered breathlessly, small chuckle falling from his lips. “We should’ve done that upstairs.”

“Thought you liked being spontaneous?” Callum sucked in the much needed air, limbs heavy as he slowly pulled out of Ben with a shudder. 

“Mhm, but my legs feel like jelly.” Ben smiled sleepily, thighs dropping from around Callum’s body as the older man moved to deposit the condom into the bin. “And I need a nap. And cuddles.”

“We need to clean up first.” Callum pressed a kiss to Ben’s lips. “Plus there’s all the presents still to wrap.”

“Don’t remind me.” Ben whined, sliding his arms around Callum to keep him there in a futile attempt to persuade him to stay and cuddle first. 

“It’s your fault for distracting me in the first place.” Callum brushed the strands of hair away from Ben’s forehead, stuck from sweat. “Go on, you go shower. I’ll start on these.”

“You’re not gonna scrub my back?”

“Next time.” Laughed Callum, kissing Ben on the forehead.

\--

Ben let out a yawn, propped up by the support of Callum’s body as they laid on the sofa, legs tangled together. They’d finished wrapping the presents, Callum doing most of the work (as usual) while Ben supervised - which just meant sitting on his phone and handing Callum the scissors when he needed them.

“Go to sleep.” Callum whispered to him, fingertips stroking over his arm as he dropped a kiss to the top of his head.

“Love ya.” Ben mumbled sleepily, head nuzzling on Callum’s chest. 

“Love you too, babe.” 

Ben hadn’t slept long before he was being woken up with a start as Ian slammed through the door causing him to jump in Callum’s arms. 

“You’re alright.” Callum told him, even if he did jump a little himself as he brushed through Ben’s hair to calm him down. “It’s just Ian.”

“Do you have to stomp around everywhere you go?” Ben huffed as Ian came into the living room.

Ignoring his question, Ian sniffed loudly, frown forming on his face. “What’s that smell? Smells like mouldy fruit.”

“What?” Ben snapped, eyes itching from having slept in his contacts, sitting forward. 

“Have you been drinking again? Honestly Ben-,”

“We were asleep.” Callum interrupted, voice stern. 

“Right…” Ian stumbled over his words, not used to Callum speaking to him in any turn other than friendly. “Well, I was just-,”

“It’s an air freshener, Ian. We got them for Christmas, thought you might like it. It’s tacky, right? That seems to be your style.” Ben piped up. He got up from the sofa, grabbing his jacket from the single seat and pulled it on. “Come on,” He spoke to Callum. “We’re going out.”

\--

“God, he’s such as idiot.” Ben grumbled, throwing a chip back into his box in frustration. “‘Have I been drinking?’ I mean, what the fuck? Ain’t any of his concern what I get up to.”

“I know.” Callum told him gently, taking Ben’s hand across the table. “He’s clearly had a bad day. ‘S best just to ignore him.”

“And then when I tell him that, he’s all ‘well, it’s my house you’re living in’,” He continued, mimicking Ian as he ignored Callum. “Which is fuckin’ bullshit, if you ask me. It ain’t like he’s short of money with the restaurant and everything else. Least he can do is look after us.”

“Ben.” Callum sighed, nudging him with his foot under the table. “Just leave it, yeah? You can stay back at the flat for a couple of days, if you want. But he’s Ian, and he’s never gonna change, is he?”

Ben gave Callum a small smile before leaning forward, lips pursed and waiting for a kiss which Callum happily obliged.

“Come on, we’ll go back to the flat. Watch a movie, yeah?”

\--

**Author's Note:**

> Next part will be up Monday featuring cuteness overload and snowball fights!


End file.
